PVC half pipes in golf holes

[RandygolfW]

Why do PVC pipes remain in Golf holes ?

[Bjeanj]

Umm, because the courses don’t want people to constantly handle the flags due to COVID?

[thelegges]

OP should you be holding a sarcasm sign

[NotFromAroundHere]

Why do PVC pipes remain in Golf holes ?

Ummm... Gravity?

[kansasr]

Because 277 new deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Florida today.

[CatskillBill]

90% of the golfers left the pin in while putting before the virus since the rule change.
We're still reaching in and touching the ball, pvc, and the lower part of the flag stick.
What pi**es me off are the rings are so tall that some are just a 1/4 " below the green.
How many times have you seen the ball spin around the flag like a roulette ball and barely stay in, or spin out?
If you're so paranoid about touching the flag stick, just don't do it!
It should be up to the person putting whether to leave it in or take it out.
So, I say get rid of them already PLEASE.

[Altavia]

Because 277 new deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Florida today.

And the number of cases traced to outdoor activity over six months = 0

[Rwirish]

Covid-19

[George Page]

And the number of cases traced to outdoor activity over six months = 0

So apparently they work to help stop the spread!

Don’t touch that flag.

[golfing eagles]

So apparently they work to help stop the spread!

Don’t touch that flag.

Classic example of post hoc ergo propter hoc----literally "after this therefore because of this", the motto of those afflicted with faulty cause/effect reasoning.

[DecaturFargo]

'Cause we're still in a pandemic. It prevents people from putting their hands all in the cup.

[Russp]

Most people still touch the cup,flag, and PVC because if the ball goes in most of the time it will go between the flag and plastic insert. So it’s not helping 🤔

[Ndomines]

Umm, because the courses don’t want people to constantly handle the flags due to COVID?
Plastic cups in golf holes

[Don5154]

90% of the golfers left the pin in while putting before the virus since the rule change.
We're still reaching in and touching the ball, pvc, and the lower part of the flag stick.
What pi**es me off are the rings are so tall that some are just a 1/4 " below the green.
How many times have you seen the ball spin around the flag like a roulette ball and barely stay in, or spin out?
If you're so paranoid about touching the flag stick, just don't do it!
It should be up to the person putting whether to leave it in or take it out.
So, I say get rid of them already PLEASE.

90%......where do you get your facts from? My guess same place as the major news outlets. When in doubt.....just make it up !

[Bay Kid]

So apparently they work to help stop the spread!

Don’t touch that flag.

Supposedly not spread by touch. But nobody really seems to know.

[Ndomines]

Plastic cups in golf holes
GET RID OF THEM
THE BALL GETS WEDGED
It’s requires you pull out the flag
More time is spent fiddling those darn things than before they were installed
ENOUGH ALREADY
If everyone who plays golf made a fuss about it maybe they would get the word out and have them removed & maybe they will put water in the ball washers as well.

[soniak4@gmail.com]

90% of the golfers left the pin in while putting before the virus since the rule change.
We're still reaching in and touching the ball, pvc, and the lower part of the flag stick.
What pi**es me off are the rings are so tall that some are just a 1/4 " below the green.
How many times have you seen the ball spin around the flag like a roulette ball and barely stay in, or spin out?
If you're so paranoid about touching the flag stick, just don't do it!
It should be up to the person putting whether to leave it in or take it out.
So, I say get rid of them already PLEASE.

I don’t agree with you about getting rid of them. I think there is a valid reason to keep them. Having said that, I think they need to be cut down so they don’t interfere with the natural path of the ball. I played a Disney course the other day and the pvc was in the cup but it is a smaller diameter and cut about an inch below the hole opening. It was a pleasure to see the ball go in as intended.

If you want this to happen here, send a note to the Golf and Tennis team. They often take suggestions. Another option is to mention it to the Golf Pro at any of the Championship courses.

Complaining doesn’t help. Suggesting alternatives does.

[Bill1701]

Most people still touch the cup,flag, and PVC because if the ball goes in most of the time it will go between the flag and plastic insert. So it’s not helping ������
You must play with an entirely different set of people than I do, or see on the courses. No one touches the flag or the PVC, except by accident. I do agree that some of the PVC needs to be cut down a little more to stop the ball from bouncing out, but we just count the ones that do that as good.

[rlcooper70]

That's such a "loaded" question .... is the writer implying that the Covid-19 virus is no longer a threat and we can return to normal?

Herd Immunity ... somewhere around 25% saturation ... we are now at 8% nationally (higher in Florida) .... so the writer needs to get an education. Hope this helps.

[Dilligas]

You must play with an entirely different set of people than I do, or see on the courses. No one touches the flag or the PVC, except by accident. I do agree that some of the PVC needs to be cut down a little more to stop the ball from bouncing out, but we just count the ones that do that as good.
If you are a true golfer and count the ones that bounce out as good, and maintain a GHIN handicap, then you are cheating yourself and other golfers you play with. That is as bad as the pvc that was an inch or two above the surface. Play by the rules.

[DrHitch]

BTW, up North many courses are using cutdown sections of pool noodles instead of PVC rings...

Yes, the barrier should be exactly one ball diameter below the surface.. sometimes the cup isn't sunk enough by the greens crew, hence the ring isn't sunk enough....

I like the roulette wheel analogy...sounds like a very firm putt that wasn't going to sink anyways!! Ha

[dennisgavin]

I prefer the noodles! And yes tgere is a lot of fussing and touching the base of the flag etc. they way things are now.

[merrymini]

That's such a "loaded" question .... is the writer implying that the Covid-19 virus is no longer a threat and we can return to normal?

Herd Immunity ... somewhere around 25% saturation ... we are now at 8% nationally (higher in Florida) .... so the writer needs to get an education. Hope this helps.

If you could get herd immunity to a virus, then why does a different strain of the flu exist every year with a new vaccine that is usually only 50 percent effective? And does that not mean that people have to get the flu for the rest of the population to be immune? This is stupid!

[Marathon Man]

I reach in and pluck the ball out without touching the flag stick or the PVC. No problem.

[DonH57]

I've always wondered when I saw golfers not wanting to stick their hands in the hole to retrieve their ball but had no issue with the ball rolling all over the greens in what could be residual spit? At least someone in the golf offices had enough sense to cut down the pvc so the ball would actually sit in the hole.:clap2:

[DonH57]

GET RID OF THEM
THE BALL GETS WEDGED
It’s requires you pull out the flag
More time is spent fiddling those darn things than before they were installed
ENOUGH ALREADY
If everyone who plays golf made a fuss about it maybe they would get the word out and have them removed & maybe they will put water in the ball washers as well.

I never used their ball washers as they only have foul water in them. I carry my own ball and club washer.

[UseYourBrain]

I do not ever touch the flag or pvc when reaching to retrieve my ball. However, I seriously doubt that I would if the cups were returned to their pre Covid state. I don’t mind the pvc, but I also think It’s all a big nanny state over reaction - a fearful response to the the fear mongering media.
If you are so concerned about catching something that could be deadly, will you remain concerned forever about Catching the flu from a flag stick that is out in the sunshine for around 10 minutes between groups? If you will, You should have always been fearful of this. If Covid ever goes away which it may not.
And look up how long the virus lasts in the sun.....

[Pat La Rosa]

I don't mind the pvc in the holes. But I do mind that they are not deep enough. I have seen many balls roll around the pin and spin out. If the pvc was at least 1 1/4 inch below the green this would not happen. Some time the hole is not cut deep enough and the pvc is only 1/2 inch below the green. I don't count a ball holed unless it stays in the cup but they should at least make the pvc more that half the ball diameter (2 1/4 inches) so that largest part of the ball hits the edge of the hole and doesn't spin out.

[llmcdaniel]

Oh, balogna. My husband and I golf 3 times a week. We have never had to pull out the pin to get a wedged ball. Use two fingers to withdraw the ball. No touching of stake at all. Until scientists know more about how Covid is spread, I’m happy to have the pvc pipes keep the ball from going so far in the hole. A small irritant for helping us get out of the house and get some exercise!! Don’t take your golf score so seriously during these trying times.

[iht2209]

Wow really

[golfing eagles]

I don’t agree with you about getting rid of them. I think there is a valid reason to keep them. Having said that, I think they need to be cut down so they don’t interfere with the natural path of the ball. I played a Disney course the other day and the pvc was in the cup but it is a smaller diameter and cut about an inch below the hole opening. It was a pleasure to see the ball go in as intended.

If you want this to happen here, send a note to the Golf and Tennis team. They often take suggestions. Another option is to mention it to the Golf Pro at any of the Championship courses.

Complaining doesn’t help. Suggesting alternatives does.

Please clarify: What is the "valid reason"? And don't reply that COVID can be transmitted in that fashion, the previous poster is correct that outdoor surface to human transmission is essentially 0%

[Dilligas]

I don’t agree with you about getting rid of them. I think there is a valid reason to keep them. Having said that, I think they need to be cut down so they don’t interfere with the natural path of the ball. I played a Disney course the other day and the pvc was in the cup but it is a smaller diameter and cut about an inch below the hole opening. It was a pleasure to see the ball go in as intended.

If you want this to happen here, send a note to the Golf and Tennis team. They often take suggestions. Another option is to mention it to the Golf Pro at any of the Championship courses.

Complaining doesn’t help. Suggesting alternatives does.
A better solution would be to cut the pvc down to halve the height of the cup liner...that way when the hole doesn't get set correctly, or on a slope, the pvc will still be at least 1 inch below the surface. Cane Garden did this and it works perfectly, no pvc missed putts.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Why do PVC pipes remain in Golf holes ?

352-753-3396; Golf Administration; saves a lot of time getting nonsensical answers on TOTV.

[MercerLunatic]

They have kept the courses from closing from covid. You can reach down and pick up your ball with 2 fingers and not touch the flag or the pvc. The daily cases in the Villages and surrounding areas is still increasing every day. I'm for any actions that help keeping the disease from being spread. Be happy you are able to complain about something so insignificent as the pcv in the holes instead of being in a hospital hooked up to a breathing machine, fighting for your life

[Indydealmaker]

Because 277 new deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Florida today.

These deaths were not necessarily "from" COVID19. They were attributed to COVID19.

[riamd1954]

Agree

[blueash]

These deaths were not necessarily "from" COVID19. They were attributed to COVID19.

Which means that all those deaths would not have happened per the informed and educated judgement of the attending physician or the county coroner had the person not caught Covid. But I am certain you know more than they do about filling in death certificates and the primary and contributory causes of someone's death.

[blueash]

Please clarify: What is the "valid reason"? And don't reply that COVID can be transmitted in that fashion, the previous poster is correct that outdoor surface to human transmission is essentially 0%

While I am sure you know more about the essentially zero rate than I do, the no touching of the flag is not only happening here. The PGA tour (https://golf.com/news/5-ways-caddies-jobs-different-pga-tour-return/) has the caddies wiping down the flagstick after each touch. Even if the rate is essentially zero, if it is not actually zero what is the problem with erring on the side of caution? This is one of those examples in life where the risk benefit ratio is easy to calculate. The risk of being careful is zero, the benefit of being careful may be above zero. Being careful wins.

[Indydealmaker]

Which means that all those deaths would not have happened per the informed and educated judgement of the attending physician or the county coroner had the person not caught Covid. But I am certain you know more than they do about filling in death certificates and the primary and contributory causes of someone's death.

There is substantial documentation to show that the CDC directed doctors and hospitals to label a death as a Covid death if the patient tested positive. Even traffic deaths have been recorded as Covid deaths in this instance. You would not know this if your only source of information came from MSM. Keep in mind that the monitoring of this disease and its treatment is directed by government agencies. Accordingly, inefficiencies are endemic.

[golfing eagles]

Which means that all those deaths would not have happened per the informed and educated judgement of the attending physician or the county coroner had the person not caught Covid. But I am certain you know more than they do about filling in death certificates and the primary and contributory causes of someone's death.

Not necessarily true. But I AM certain I know more about filling out death certificates than most. Most states will ask for primary cause of death, then "due to" and another "due to" followed by a "contributing factor". So it typically looks like this:

Cause of death: Cardiopulmonary arrest
due to: Coronary Artery Disease
due to: Atherosclerotic Heart Disease
Contributed by: Coronavirus COVID-19

The problem is that we cannot tell if this death was DUE TO Covid-19 or if the virus was just incidental. However, for each death, and for that matter hospitalization, that mentions COVID-19 anywhere, the hospital receives a national average of $13,000 more in reimbursement. You can guarantee that everyone getting admitted is getting tested, and all positives are clearly mentioned on the death certificate or on the hospital bill. As a result, not too many parties are interested in accurate numbers---certainly not the hospitals, certainly not the media, and certainly not anyone/group with a vested interest in promoting the number of deaths.

That being said, this is the most serious pandemic in quite some time, and caution is clearly indicated. But in the case of a flagstick outdoors the Oregon Dept. of Health did a study of 1380 cases and found that AT MOST, outdoor transmission is 0.07 %, which would imply 0 from a flagstick. Personally, I would take that risk if necessary, however, I just don't see a good reason to touch the flagstick at this time

Finally, everyone please remember to get your annual flu shot---it will do far more to save your life than a PVC pipe in a golf hole

[bxmt54]

A lot of people like them so they can say the got a hole in one when the ball touches the pipe. Never has there been as many hole-in-ones in the paper since the pipe was put in place. I’ve seen people say they got 2 hole-in-one’s during the same game in the paper! It’s a miracle...maybe the pros should try it.

[Andyhope]

Umm, because the courses don’t want people to constantly handle the flags due to COVID?

Thank you bjean🤪🤪

[Danz654]

Plastic should be cut to a certain height , to avoid riding the top and going by

[Jazzman]

90%......where do you get your facts from? My guess same place as the major news outlets. When in doubt.....just make it up !

By your response it appears to me that you don’t golf here in the villages and if you do you don’t play multiple courses. I play 3x per week at three championship courses and different courses all over the villages. The issue is based on my experience, the pvc pieces are not all cut to the same length, sometimes from hole to hole and other times from course to course. The golf cup holes are all the same depth, that’s the rule, but as stated the height of the pvc pipe is not cut consistently which at times causes the ball to roll around hole and pop out.

[George Page]

Classic example of post hoc ergo propter hoc----literally "after this therefore because of this", the motto of those afflicted with faulty cause/effect reasoning.

FALACY? Try to convince the the 551,000 who tested positive in Florida and the families of the 8,764 who died In Florida that attempts to control the spread of COVID-19 are a waste of time and effort.

[Dimagolfer]

I totally agree Bill it's annoying when your putt spins out of the cup and the PVC is too high in the cup.

[Marvic 1]

A lot of people like them so they can say the got a hole in one when the ball touches the pipe. Never has there been as many hole-in-ones in the paper since the pipe was put in place. I’ve seen people say they got 2 hole-in-one’s during the same game in the paper! It’s a miracle...maybe the pros should try it.

The PVC pipes are cut below the top of the cup these days, your about 3 months behind.....

[TomPerrett]

Just hit it .

[nn0wheremann]

Gives poor putters another excuse, and makes it easier for good putters to retrieve their golf balls. Also, so flag leavers-in will not uncarefully stick their ball retrieving devices into the cup next to the flag pole and damage the lip of the hole

[Doctorcrime]

maybe they should put masks on the poles! :)

[tonytheace]

Leave the pins as they are. We’re lucky to be out there playing golf.Count your blessings!!
This slight inconvenience is nothing

[waynet]

Total laziness on directors part. How hard is it to cut them the proper length? Just another sign of the people in charge not caring about golfers.

[Bay Kid]

Very few putts fall in anyway.

[Marvic 1]

Very few putts fall in anyway.

Especially when the Pin is station on the top center of a mound. Lots of bad pin placement on some of these greens....